Member Spotlight: Round 2

26 January 2008

Welcome to our Round 2 featured interview with your fellow forum member, Behemoko. I’m sure you’ve seen him quite a bit around the forum, as he’s been a member for quite some time now. Some of you may be wondering, “Who?” However, this is due in large part to the fact that Behemoko is a pretty quiet guy. He may post a lot and contribute to a lot of topics, but he goes about it in such a respectful way that you might just overlook him. Well, I didn’t. I got together with him to discuss his life in gaming and life on PSU.com. This interview was nothing shy of enlightening in regards to his world and you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.

David Wales: How has PSU.com impacted your life in terms of online friendships, gaming knowledge, and views in regards to other consoles?
Behemoko: Well, I didn't expect to make so many friends through a forum. It was my first forum, so that could be why. I feel like I should know more than I do, I always look for info, but always seem to be clueless about all games but the most highly anticipated ones. It can be frustrating if I hear that a game has come out that I'd been looking forward to, and I hadn't even realized it was out. I already have all 3 consoles, and I like hearing news about them all. However, it's how much I actually do hear that displeases me. I'm glad I'm a part of it all though, friends and info, the site is addicting for me to say the least.

David Wales: What do you mean by, "how much I do hear that displeases me," care to elaborate?

Behemoko: Well, just a few days ago, I was chatting it up with another member, and he mentioned a game was coming out soon that I had previously been looking forward to, and I didn't even know had been announced. Heck, I can't even remember what game it was now, so maybe it's just my memory. But, I would think I would know a lot more than what I do for how much I am on the site, I guess I just hang out in the general chit-chat section too much.

David Wales: So you're just irritated about hearing things that have seemed to have slipped by you?

Behemoko: Pretty much. I vow from now on to look for more info on games. I kind of already started that when I stopped being a regular in the ban thread, but now I have to take it another step it seems.

David Wales: How old were you when you first picked up the controller that would change the way you lived your life completely?

Behemoko: Well, I'm told I was 3 years old when I first played Mario on the NES. It wasn't until 8 or 9 that I got a system of my own, an SNES, that I got hooked on video games, and have been a fan ever since.

David Wales: Do you remember that first gaming experience and what game it was for the SNES?

Behemoko: I’ll never forget, it was Donkey Kong Country, and the graphics were awesome! I loved the game, but could never beat it. It was frustrating, but it was great fun also. I remember not even knowing how to set the system up, which by today’s standards would make me about 80 years old.

David Wales: Bustin' those barrels were a blast, I remember that game.

Behemoko: Yes it was! I actually just saw a video on YouTube that showed you how to ride Donkey Kong instead of a Rhino. I love it that it took me over 10 years to find out that game still held secrets I didn't know. It makes the game feel deeper.

David Wales: What was your real first achievement in gaming that you can remember?

Behemoko: Probably beating the Elite four in Pokemon Blue. Man, it felt so good to actually beat the game. I had gone about halfway through about half a dozen times, but none were as great as actually beating it.

David Wales: It's funny you mention that, I remember playing in the school yard with my huge brick Game Boy and pounding away at the buttons with that title. The original 151 Pokemon were brilliant.

Behemoko: I had bought the Game Boy Pocket (also blue) along with it, so I had a matching pair. To this day I think that trying to get the greatness that was the original 2 games, is a feat that is never again going to happen. Not even Pokemon Yellow was as fun to me.

David Wales: What was your initial reaction to your first online experience through gaming?

Behemoko: Exhilarating! It was Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360. I got into the online gaming biz rather late due to having dial-up internet until just over a year ago. I was at a friend’s house for a LAN party, and he had 256k DSL, and one time, instead of just killing each other, we wanted to try online. So, there we were, I was playing, with every pair of eyes watching the 15" monitor that I usually pwned them with, getting my ass handed to me by people who play the game a lot more than even I did.

David Wales: Sounds exactly like the first time I booted up Madden online in 2003. When it comes to gaming, do you prefer the fancy new school of life or do you appreciate the old that got us to where we are today?

Behemoko: Well, I love both, and sometimes when a game seems lackluster, I just try to compare it with a game that was on the original PlayStation, but then I see that that game was the top of its day, and I'm ruining it by comparing it to a game I'm not having much fun with. I do prefer the newer games, and I'm glad they are coming out otherwise I wouldn't really need to get info on them, right? But, I do have the utmost respect for old school. I'm not going to kick into the dirt the thing that brought my appreciation of games to the level it is at today.

David Wales: If you could pick one game to play for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Behemoko: That is a tough one for me. I would actually have to say Gears of War. I love me some Call of Duty, but I get bored after a while. I love me some Twisted Metal 4, but it's just too old to go back to forever. I figure I have to pick a multiplayer game, or it will make me pretty lonely, so I'm left with Gears of War. If I had to pick a non online multiplayer, it would be Twisted Metal 4.

David Wales: You’ve been a member of PSU.com for a long while now, is there anything you’d like to see implemented?

Behemoko: Well. Lately, a lot of things I've asked for have already happened, or even just recently happened. I feel I've already had a hand in making the forum better. I can't actually name one improvement that I've either personally requested or had a hand in requesting that hasn't already been done. I feel like we are listened to. Some people might not feel that way, but most of the time, it is a new member asking for a new rule to be made or altered that has been asked every month or so by a previous "noob."

David Wales: What are a couple of things not too many people know about you on the forums?

Behemoko: I am extremely shy. You probably wouldn't know it if you saw me on there, but even this interview has my heart fluttering. It is the reason I don't have a job. And, as a second one, I would have to say, I never finished high school. I got my GED, but no actual diploma.

David Wales: I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all of my questions. I’m confident that a lot of people will now feel they know you that much more than they did beforehand. You’ve certainly set a benchmark for what this feature should offer each and every time out.

Well, that brings to an end our Round 2 interview. I hope you all enjoyed it, because I personally feel that it’s what this site should represent. A love for gaming and those who enjoy what you do as well. Behemoko gave us a great look into who he is as a person and a gamer and I thank him for that. Keep a close eye on your PM boxes on the forum, because you just may be chosen for our Round 3 inquisition.